A powerful explosion shook Elon Musk’s SpaceX testing facility at Messy Thursday, bringing a dramatic halt to preparations for the company’s upcoming Starship launch. The blast occurred during a routine static fire test of Starship 36 — a critical procedure in which the respective vehicle is partially fuelled and at least one engine is ignited for a small duration. Footage circulating on social media show a massive fireball erupting from the site and engulfing the surrounding area in flames. In a post on X, SpaceX confirmed the incident, saying, “On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase.” On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted… — SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 19, 2025 The company emphasised that all personnel are safe and accounted for, and urged individuals to not attempt approaching the area while safety operations continue. “Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while saftey operations continue,” the post read. Massey's Outpost is a SpaceX testing site located at the southwest end of Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.
